Wisniewski is traded to Islanders

The Ducks turned the re-signing of defenseman James Wisniewski into a sign and trade in the literal sense.

Shortly after agreeing on a one-year, $3.25 million contract to avoid an upcoming arbitration hearing, the club on Friday dealt the rugged blue-liner to the New York Islanders for a third-round pick in 2011.

The draft pick is optional in nature as the Islanders have until June 1 to give the Ducks their own third-round selection or Colorado’s third-round pick that they acquired in a prior deal. NHL.com reported that the trade is conditional upon Wisniewski passing a physical by 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Ducks GM Bob Murray said that negotiations on a multiyear extension never got close and that “we were a long way apart on salary.” Wisniewski filed for salary arbitration earlier this month and a hearing was scheduled for Tuesday in Toronto.

The two sides agreed on an amount that Wisniewski said Murray was not going above and apparently wasn’t comfortable paying in the long run.

“It was a tough situation,” Murray said. ”We offered him a pretty good four-year contract just after the trade deadline. It wasn’t going anywhere. I wasn’t going to go any farther. So I just waited and they filed for arbitration. We came to a settlement. I have other plans, that’s the thing.”

It leaves the Ducks back at square one with just three proven defensemen in Lubomir Visnovsky, Toni Lydman and Sheldon Brookbank but the trade of Wisniewski could be a prelude to another deal to which the club could use the pick they just acquired.

The club is believed to be very interested in Vancouver’s Kevin Bieksa and is reportedly rumored to be one of the teams after Toronto’s Tomas Kaberle. Both Bieksa ($3.5 million) and Kaberle ($4.25 million) have one year left on their current contracts.

Murray wouldn’t comment on anything that he’s pursuing but he didn’t necessarily rule out that one move could be setting up another.

“Picks are always good to have,” he said. ”It’s not leading to anything right now. We have other plans at the moment. We’re not done at all. I chose to go in a different direction at this moment.

“We’re not done. There’s other things coming in the next little while.”

Wisniewski was originally acquired by the Ducks at the 2009 trade deadline in a deal that sent center Samuel Pahlsson, prospect Logan Stephenson and a conditional draft pick to Chicago. The five-year veteran was relied upon heavily in his only full season in Anaheim as he logged over 24 minutes per game and had three goals and a career-high 27 assists.

“It just seemed like the relationship being myself and Anaheim kind of fizzled after we talked during negotiations,” Wisniewski said. “Maybe they didn’t think of me as somebody they wanted to have for a long time. I thought I had a pretty solid year. I gave them everything I could.

“It’s just said that it didn’t work out in Anaheim. I just wish them the best of luck. I appreciate everything they did for me as a player with the opportunity they gave me and the responsibility that was brought upon me.”

The Islanders added Wisniewski to a blue line that includes holdovers Mark Streit, Jack Hillen, Radek Martinek and Bruno Gervais along with newly-acquired Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina.

“We see James as a key addition to our team and we feel our fans will connect with his style of play,” Islanders GM Garth Snow said. “He is a solid puck-moving defenseman who can bring an added element of toughness to our blue line.”

Wisniewski’s time with the Ducks was also marked by the suspensions for high hits on Phoenix’s Shane Doan and Chicago’s Brent Seabrook, the last of which drew him eight games along with a lot of controversy for what many thought was a dirty play against his friend and former Blackhawks teammate.

But the fun-loving and outspoken defenseman was very appreciative of the Ducks allowing him to expand his game.

“To be blatantly honest, they got me out of the situation I was in with Chicago,” Wisniewski said. “Chicago treated me great but I felt they didn’t see the potential in me. I went to Anaheim and they played me a lot in the playoffs. We had a great playoff run and just fell a little short in Detroit.

“This year, if you look at it, it was all injuries that kept us out of the playoffs in my opinion. And they didn’t feel I was worth it but hopefully the Islanders can see the potential that I have and maybe it’ll be great for my career. It’s another chapter in my life.”

Related Links

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.